


Were We Ever Really Just Friends?

by justforirishx



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Cancer, Childhood Friends, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-12
Updated: 2015-04-12
Packaged: 2018-03-22 12:43:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3729385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justforirishx/pseuds/justforirishx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rose and Liam have known each other since they were eight and have been best friends ever since.<br/>They've been through things no child or teenager should have to go through.<br/>Now they're 21 and on tour together and have a blossoming relationship.<br/>The question they keep asking each other though is, were we ever really just friends?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Were We Ever Really Just Friends?

There has always been an appeal to the bad boy persona for me. I don’t know if it is the unpredictability or the wanting to “fix them” but it nearly always gets me into some form of trouble however there has been one exception to that rule since I was eighteen but he has his bad boy moments which drive me crazy but for some bizarre reason these out of character moments seem to make him that much more appealing.

I could faintly hear the sound of a shower running as I woke up in yet another foreign country. The bed was empty apart from myself but the sheets were moved back on the other side. I sighed and cursed myself under my breath. I never seem to learn. I heard the shower stop and rustling in the bathroom. I reached for my phone and saw a text from one of the girls I work with.

**From: Lou**

_Rosie! You weren’t meant to sleep with him remember?!  
I saw you guys leave together last night. Fill me in later :)_

I chuckled and put my phone down to reach for the ibuprofen and the water next to my bed to dull my hangover headache.

“Rose, you’re not meant to take those on an empty stomach,” the deep voice said. I looked up to see him standing there at the end of the bed in just a white towel around his waist with water droplets still clinging to his broad and muscular shoulders.

“I don’t care, I have a killer hangover which you caused by the way.”  
“I told you not to have that last vodka,” he laughed with a smile.  
“Well I’m sorry Mr I can handle my vodka better,” I replied grumpily.  
“You look upset, did I do something?”  
“We’re not meant to be sleeping together Liam! We’re just friends remember?” I said running my hands through my hair  
“Rosie, you know I like you and I know you like me so why are we still skirting around this?” he asked sitting on the bed.  
“Oh I don’t know, maybe it has something to do with your ex and the fact she could make my life a living hell,” I replied.  
“Sophia wouldn’t do anything to you Rose,” he sighed.  
“Um Liam you seem to forget the fact she bullied me through primary and high school… remember?”  
“Trust me Rose I remember because she made my life a living hell at one stage too.”  
“Then why did you date her?  I still don’t understand that,” I replied frustrated.  
“I thought she had changed but I guess I never learn when it comes to fame and dating do I Rosie?”  
“No you don’t Liam which is why I don’t think you and I are a good idea,” I replied. “You should get changed and go Liam. I can’t do this right now.”  
“Rose.”  
“Leave Liam.”  


I watched Liam pick up his jeans, jocks and t-shirt off the floor and go back into the bathroom to change. I put my head into the pillow and screamed. I felt so frustrated at my situation with Liam but we are both as stubborn as each other. I guess that happens when you’ve been best friends since you were eight years old.

 

\--

Liam and I didn’t meet in the happiest of circumstances when we were eight years old. We were both in hospital at the time but for different things. Liam was in hospital for his kidney problems and I was in hospital with Leukhemia. I was in the video game room playing Nintendo 64 when he pulled up a chair next to me and asked if he could play too. After many rounds of Mario Kart our Mums had to pull us away but we promised each other we would be back the next day. That day my life changed and Mum always credits Liam with that. Until then my outlook wasn’t looking fantastic but within weeks my blood tests were getting better and chemo didn’t seem like as much of a struggle as it used to when the reward was getting to spend time with Liam after.  
  
On the days I couldn’t go down to the video game room, Liam would come to my room with Gameboys instead so we could battle in Pokemon. I never had to talk about Cancer with Liam if I didn’t want to. We would talk about Football, music, movies, school or even just sit in each others company and build Lego.

The day Liam was allowed to go home was the worst but he promised he would come and visit me on weekends. Our Mums even became good friends and they would have coffee and lunch together when Liam would come to visit to give the two of us time together. Liam was my first real friend, I never had many friends because I was hardly ever at school.

\--

Liam came back into the room dressed and he sat next to me on the bed.  
“Rosie, this break was a stupid idea. We both can’t resist each other and it’s not like we are fighting like we were.”  
“Liam we went on a break for a reason. You had issues to solve with Sophia, I needed to focus on work and I don’t need the press calling me an attention seeker or a gold digger,” I replied.  
“I know you aren’t one!” he replied running a hand through his hair.  
“I look like one Liam. You happen to get your best childhood friend a job and then you happen to get into a relationship that also benefits her career. I still love you don’t get me wrong but, just, Liam we can’t.”  
“Ugh Rose, you frustrate me. I want you as my girlfriend, no matter if I’m famous or not. You’re not like Sophia or Danielle, You’re not with me for your five minutes of fame no matter what it looks like. We’ve been through too much together for people to think that!” he exclaimed.  


\--

I watched Liam get rejected by so many girls in high school including Sophia. I stuck by Liam through every bullying incident, every rejection and most importantly X-Factor. To Liam, for years, I was just faithful old Rosie who was always there for a movie or game night after a bad day. To me, he was the perfect guy and the guy I was meant to be with. Although to be fair, having a non stop noseblled and passing out in front of him out of the blue when I was sixteen didn’t exactly make me girlfriend material.

My cancer had been put into remission when I was ten but reared its ugly head when I turned sixteen. Just as Liam got big with One Direction. Going through cancer again at sixteen wasn’t easy. I had GCSEs, Year 12 formal, boys to impress and my future to think about. Having your doctor talk to you about freezing your eggs isn’t a great conversation to have. Every chemo session I had Liam would skype or call me to check up on me but it wasn’t the same as him being there no matter how hard he tried.

\--

Later that afternoon there was a meeting before the concert and everyone had to go. I work as One Direction’s concert photographer. Liam sat next to me, a reassuring hand on my knee. Lou, head of make up, looked over at me with a raised eyebrow. These meetings seem to go forever. It’s mostly just the tour manager explaining times and plans for before and after the concert which never really change apart from the venues.

“Coffee after the meeting?” Liam whispered into my ear.  
I nodded and gave him a small smile.  
A preshow coffee has been Liam and I’s tradition since the _Take Me Home Tour._ It gives Liam a chance to vent and wind down before the madness of the pre show starts.

“I talked Paul into letting us have a quiet day tomorrow. Seeing as we are in New York, would you like to go Ice Skating?” Liam asked.  
“Sure, I can take the Go-Pro and get some good shots too.”  
“That sounds great. So about this morning Rose, what do you think?”  
“Liam I really don’t think it’s a good idea.”  
“Sophia is completely out of the picture. You’re in remission, work is going great and this tour is going the way we want.”  
“Liam, that scare the other week shouldn’t put you off being with me. It shouldn’t even come into the picture.”  
“It doesn’t put me off at all Rose, just it’s a relief it’s not something we have to worry about!”  



End file.
